U. v. sterilizer for dental handpiece

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a sterilizer used at dental clinics to sterilize handpieces by the irradiation of ultraviolet rays. When inserting a contaminated handpiece into a sterilizer, an ultraviolet barrier is opened confirming the approach of the handpiece by a sensor. After the insertion of the handpiece, the ultraviolet barrier is closed, then ultraviolet lamps are turned on for a pre-determined time and then turned off, and the ultraviolet barrier is opened again. After the withdrawal of the handpiece, the ultraviolet barrier is closed. The handpiece is not contacted with the outside of the sterilizer, preventing the handpiece from being contaminated again by the sterilizer, and the leakage of the ultraviolet rays is prevented.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sterilizer for a handpiececontaminated by contacting dirt such as blood or spit, which containsgerms or bacteria while being put into a patient's mouth and treating,at a dental clinic.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, at a dental clinic, several medical appliances such astweezers, probes, mirrors, and handpieces are used to treat teeth orgums inside a mouth. These appliances are easily contaminated by germsor bacteria contained in blood, spit or tissues of patients, so thatpreventing other patients from being infected with germs or bacteria bysterilizing the contaminated appliances thoroughly after use isimportant.

Tweezers, probes, and mirrors are relatively cheap, so that it ispossible to prepare them in a larger number, gather separately the onceused ones, and sterilize using antiseptic solution, or steam or water ofhigh temperature. However, handpieces, connected to a pneumatic deviceor a laser generator, are not so cheap as to be prepared in a largenumber and changed whenever being used, and equipped with pneumaticmotors and lenses, so that it is impossible to sterilize using steam orwater of high temperature, making it hard to sterilize.

An ultraviolet sterilizer shown in FIG. 7 was developed to sterilizesuch handpieces. The conventional sterilizer 100 like this is equippedin one body with a casing assembly 110 attaching an ultraviolet lamp 112inside, a drawer 120 withdrawn from and inserted into the front side ofthe casing assembly 110 to put in dental appliances, and a ventilatingfan 130 installed at the inside rear of the case 110 to circulate theinside air through multiple ventilating holes 132.

The sterilizer 100 has problems in that the handle of the drawer 120 iscontaminated since the drawer is opened and closed by a contaminatedhand to put the handpiece in the drawer 120, and the hands arecontaminated by the handle of the drawer 120 when withdrawing thehandpiece after sterilization, therefore the handpiece is contaminatedwhen the handpiece is handled by the contaminated hand, together with aproblem radiating ultraviolet rays outside.

As depicted in FIG. 8, another conventional sterilizer 200 which solvedthe problems of the drawer type sterilizer is configured in one body,installing an ultraviolet lamp 212 around a quartz tube 220 establishedhorizontally inside the casing assembly 210 and an opening 230 closed byan ultraviolet barrier 234, which has insertion holes 232 incised in aradial shape, at the outer front of the casing assembly 210 installedwith the quartz tube 220.

In case of the sterilizer 200 with an incised ultraviolet barrier 234,the ultraviolet barrier 234 is contaminated by the contaminatedhandpiece when the handpiece is inserted in the sterilizer, and thehandpiece is contaminated by the contaminated ultraviolet barrier 234again when the sterilized handpiece is withdrawn.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problemsoccurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the invention toprovide an ultraviolet sterilizer for handpieces, which prevents thesterilizer itself from being contaminated by dirt.

The area where ultraviolet rays are irradiating inside a sterilizeralways maintains sterilized states, but the outside of a sterilizerwhere the ultraviolet rays are not reached should be kept away fromdirty materials. That is, when inserting a contaminated handpiece in asterilizer, it needs the outer portion of a sterilizer which is notsterilized by ultraviolet rays not being contacted with the contaminatedhandpiece.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ultraviolet sterilizer,in which, being prevented from contacting with the outside of thesterilizer when withdrawn after sterilization, the sterilized hygienichandpiece is not contaminated by the sterilizer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer forhandpieces, which has the effect of aroma therapy at the same time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer forhandpieces comprising a file tray, which can be sterilized with dentalclinic files put on it by ultraviolet rays.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer forhandpieces, which prevents ultraviolet rays harmful to the human bodyfrom emitting outside the sterilizer.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the above object, according to one aspect of thepresent invention, there is provided a sterilizer for dental handpieces.The sterilizer for dental handpieces includes: a casing assembly havingan opening formed at the front side for coming in and going out of ahandpiece; a door configured such that an ultraviolet barrier incised ina radial shape opens and closes the front opening of the casingassembly; a transparent tube installed inside the casing assembly inorder to be fluid-communicatively connected with the door to put ahandpiece thereon; a sensor installed on the brim of the opening at thefront side of the casing assembly; an ultraviolet lamp installed insidethe casing assembly; a control circuit for controlling the overalloperation of the sterilizer in such a manner that it opens theultraviolet barrier when it confirms the approach of the handpiece bythe sensor, closes the ultraviolet barrier after the handpiece has beenentered, turns on the ultraviolet lamp for a pre-determined time, turnsoff the lamp, opens the ultraviolet barrier again, and closes theultraviolet barrier after the handpiece has been withdrawn; and a motorfor opening and closing the door in response to a control signalgenerated from the control circuit.

When the handpiece approaches the opening of the casing assembly, thesensor installed on the brim of the opening detects the approach, andthe control circuit opens the ultraviolet barrier of the door by runningthe motor. When the handpiece is inserted in the sterilizer, the controlcircuit runs the motor, closing the ultraviolet barrier and turning onthe ultraviolet lamp. After a predetermined time, the control circuitturns off the ultraviolet lamp and opens the ultraviolet barrier runningthe motor in the reverse direction. When the handpiece is withdrawnafter opening the ultraviolet barrier, the handpiece is not contactedwith the sterilizer, thereby maintaining the sterilized clean state.

The control circuit further comprises a function which calculates theentering speed of a handpiece by the signal entered from the sensor, andcontrols the opening speed of the door according to the entering speedof the handpiece.

The diameter of the tip is short since a handpiece for a dental clinicis inserted deep into a mouse, and the handle held by a user is thickfor easy grip. The sensor used for the invention, for example, anoptical sensor, may determine the opening and closing speed of the dooraccording to the intensity of the light entered into the opticalreceiver, and, even when a user puts a handpiece fast into a sterilizer,the opening speed of a barrier also becomes faster, thereby a handpiecenot being contacted with a barrier.

In addition, it is desirable to comprise more a function calculating thethickness of a handpiece by the signal entering from a sensor andcontrolling the opening speed of a door according to the thickness of ahandpiece.

In another embodiment of the invention, a sterilizer for dentalhandpiece includes: a casing assembly having an opening formed at thefront side for coming in and going out of the handpiece; a doorconfigured such that the ultraviolet barrier incised in a radial shapeopens and closes the front opening of the casing assembly, and theultraviolet barrier is opened while waiting and after completion ofsterilization, and the ultraviolet barrier is closed while sterilizing;a transparent tube installed inside the casing assembly in order to befluid-communicatively connected with the door to put a handpiecethereon; a sensor installed around the transparent tube inside thecasing assembly; an ultraviolet lamp installed inside the casingassembly; a control circuit controlling the overall operation of thesterilizer in such a manner that it closes the ultraviolet barrier whenthe entrance of the handpiece has been confirmed by the sensor, turns onthe ultraviolet lamp for a predetermined time and turns off the lamp,and opens the ultraviolet barrier again; and a motor for opening andclosing the door in response to a control signal generated from thecontrol circuit.

The ultraviolet barrier of the sterilizer for a dental handpiece isopened while waiting and after sterilization, so the handpiece can beentered into the sterilizer without touching the ultraviolet barrier.When the handpiece rests in the transparent tube inside the sterilizer,the sensor installed around the transparent tube senses the handpiece,and the control circuit closes the ultraviolet barrier running the motorand turns on the ultraviolet lamp. After a predetermined time, thecontrol circuit turns off the lamp and opens the ultraviolet barrierrunning the motor again. Through the operations mentioned above, thedental sterilizer of the present invention guarantees the handpiece notbeing touched with the sterilizer.

The handpiece sterilizer according to the invention is equipped with areflection protector, in which the transparent tube and the ultravioletlamp are inserted, inside the casing assembly to protect the leakage ofultraviolet rays.

The intensity of ultraviolet rays accomplishing the sterilizingobjectives is so high that ultraviolet rays leaking out of thesterilizer do harm for human body. Therefore, to prevent in advanceultraviolet rays from leaking through the chasms of the casing assemblyof the handpiece, the transparent tube and the ultraviolet lamp arewrapped by the reflection protector.

Generally, it is reported that minimum 3400 μW·s/Cm² and maximum 22000μW·s/cm² of energy are needed to sterilize virus and germs 100 percent.For example, dysentery bacillus is sterilized at 3400 μW·s/cm² ofultraviolet ray energy, influenza virus is at 6600 μW·s/cm², and tetanusbacillus is at 6600 μW·s/cm². Therefore, maintaining 22000 μW·s/cm² ofirradiation amount of ultraviolet rays inside the sterilizer iseffective. In the present invention, 13000 μW·s/cm² of irradiationamount was observed as the result of energy measurement at a point 2 cmapart from a 9W ultraviolet lamp, so that most of germs and virusesknown present can be exterminated sterilizing with two ultraviolet lampsfor one second.

The handpiece sterilizer according to the invention further comprises aventilating fan at one side of the casing assembly to exhaust the heatgenerated by ultraviolet lamps. In case when a handpiece sterilizer isused continuously, the temperature inside the casing assembly isincreases due to the heat generated by the ultraviolet lamp. Theincrease of the temperature inside the casing assembly has a badinfluence on the control circuit which is inside the casing assembly,therefore maintaining the temperature inside the casing assembly low byexhausting the air inside the casing assembly to the outside isdesirable.

The handpiece sterilizer according to the invention may further comprisea file tray which has multiple file holes at one side of the casingassembly, which is opened and closed by a cover and can be sterilizedwith dental files inserted therein. The file tray is to insert toolssuch as a dental drill and sterilize by ultraviolet rays.

The handpiece sterilizer according to the invention can be configuredmore including an aromatic tray, which is a drawer putting things in andcontaining aromas inside, near the ventilating fan. At present, aromatherapies are known, which have various curative effects of aromas.Using aromas which have the effect of giving a sense of stability,without additional aromas specially, patients visiting a dental clinicmay have mental stability, thereby obtaining favorable effects.

Advantageous Effects

According to the invention, an ultraviolet sterilizer can be preventedfrom being contaminated by dirt, and having a handpiece not be contactedwith a sterilizer which is apt to be contaminated, a sterilized hygienichandpiece may not be contaminated by a sterilizer after sterilization.

According to the invention, the ultraviolet sterilizer does not allowthe leakage of ultraviolet rays outside, provides an effect of aromatherapy as well, and sterilizes dental files at the same time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fullyunderstood from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a handpiece sterilizer according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of a handpiece sterilizeraccording to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section showing the inside of the handpiecesterilizer;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the rear side of the handpiecesterilizer according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view showing the state of the door closed;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view showing the state of the door opened;

FIG. 7 shows a conventional ultraviolet sterilizer; and

FIG. 8 shows another conventional ultraviolet sterilizer.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereafterdescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIRST EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the handpiece sterilizer according tothe invention and FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of thehandpiece sterilizer according to the invention. FIG. 3 shows across-section of the inside showing the assembled state and FIG. 4 showsa perspective view of the rear side of the handpiece sterilizeraccording to the invention. The casing assembly of the handpiecesterilizer 1 according to the invention is injection molded so as to beable to disassemble and assemble an upper casing 10, lower casing 10′,and a door cover 20 each other. An opening 12 is formed at the frontside of the lower casing 10′ and the door cover. A control circuit 70 isinstalled at the top side of the lower casing 10′ and a ventilating holeis extended to the outside from the rear upper portion, below of which apower outlet and a power switch are installed.

In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, depicted are the opened and closed states of thedoor 40, which opens and closes the opening of the casing assembly bythe ultraviolet barrier 46 incised in a radial shape. The door 40 iscomposed of a pair of door frames 44, 44′, in which circular-arc-typetooth-form parts 44 engaging each other are formed respectively at oneside and a frame part 42 on a semicircle which assembles an ultravioletbarrier 46 is formed at the other side, and an ultraviolet barrier 46,which is installed at the frame part 42 on the semicircle of the doorframe 44, 44′ and incised in a radial shape. Of the above pair of doorframes 44, 44′ the upper portion of one door frame 44′ is fixed by ahinge so as to be able to move to the front upper portion of the door40, and the upper portion of the other door 44 is connected to a motor Mwhich is operated by a control circuit. When the motor starts tooperate, according to the operation of the door frame 44 which isconnected to the motor, the other door frame 44′ is opened or closed bythe tooth-form parts engaging each other.

The ultraviolet barrier 46 is to be lifted so much as not to leak rayswhen the handpiece is inserted, so that the ultraviolet barrier 46 needsto be formed by a flexible material like silicon or rubber, and incisedin radial directions as much as not to allow leakage of rays whenlifting the ultraviolet barrier 46. The ultraviolet barrier 46 may beinstalled at the front and the rear side of the frame part 42 on thesemicircle in order to prevent leakage of ultraviolet rays moresecurely.

The handpiece sterilizer according to the invention is installed insidethe casing assembly 10 in order to be fluid-communicatively connectedwith the door 40, and comprises a transparent tube 50 on which thehandpiece is placed. The material of the transparent tube 50 should beendurable to heat generated by the ultraviolet lamp and anythingtransparent that transmits ultraviolet rays well will do.

Ultraviolet lamps 60 are installed inside the casing assembly 10, andtwo ultraviolet lamps of 9W capacity, in the present invention, areinstalled for 1 second sterilization, terminating most of the germs andviruses known up to date.

According to the invention, the handpiece sterilizer is equipped with asensor S1 which is installed around the opening of the front side of thecasing assembly 10 and detects the approach of the handpiece. A lightemitter and a light receiver are installed in opposite sides around thefront opening, and the light receiver receiving the light emitted fromthe light emitter located at the opposite side. When the handpieceapproaches, the intensity of the light received at the light receiverdecreases, and the control circuit opens the ultraviolet barrier 46 ofthe door 40, judging that the handpiece is approaching if the intensityof the light received at the light receiver decreases. The diameter ofthe tip is short since a handpiece is generally inserted deep into amouth, and the handle held by a user is thick for easy grip, so that,observing the change of the intensity of the light entering into thelight receiver, the ultraviolet barrier 46 is opened fast if theintensity changes fast, and the door of the ultraviolet barrier 46 isopened slowly if the intensity changes slowly.

The control circuit 70 is also desirable to observe the intensity of thelight entering into the light receiver of the sensor, calculate thethickness of the handpiece, and control the speed of the opening speedof the door according to the thickness of the handpiece.

After putting the handpiece in the transparent tube 50, the sensor doesnot detect the change of the intensity of the light, thus the controlcircuit 70 closes the ultraviolet barrier 46, judging that enteringprocess has been completed. When the ultraviolet barrier 46 is closedcompletely, the control circuit turns on the ultraviolet light 60, turnsoff the ultraviolet light 60 after a predetermined time, and opens theultraviolet barrier 46 by starting the motor.

When the intensity of the light received by the light receiver becomeshigh again, the control circuit confirms the withdrawal of the handpiecefrom the sterilizer, and then closes the ultraviolet barrier 46.

To confirm the completion of the entering process of the handpiece intothe sterilizer, a special sensor also may be installed around thetransparent tube 50.

SECOND EMBODIMENT

In the second embodiment according to the invention, the casingassembly, the transparent tube, the ultraviolet lamp, and the motor aresame compared with the embodiment 1, but the order of door 40 closing,which is operated by the location of sensors and the control circuit, isdifferent.

The second embodiment has differences, compared with the firstembodiment in that, the door is configured to be open while theultraviolet barrier incised in the radial shape is waiting and after thecompletion of the sterilizing, and the sensor is installed around thetransparent tube which is inside the casing assembly and detects theapproach of the handpiece. In addition, the difference is in the controlcircuit, which closes the ultraviolet barrier when the completion of theentering process of the handpiece is detected by the sensor, turns onthe ultraviolet lamp for a predetermined time then turns off, and opensthe ultraviolet barrier again by starting the motor when sterilizationhas been completed.

Since the ultraviolet barrier of the handpiece sterilizer is open alwaysexcept while sterilizing, the possibility to contaminate the sterilizermay be completely removed when the handpiece is coming in and going outthe sterilizer.

If a reflection protector 80, in which the transparent tube 50 and theultraviolet lamp 60 is inserted, is installed inside the casing assemblyin addition to the handpiece sterilizer explained in the aboveembodiment 1 and 2, ultraviolet rays, harmful to the human body, can beprevented from leaking outside the sterilizer. The reflection protector80 is configured so that the inner surface wrapping the transparent tube50 and the ultraviolet lamp 60 may reflect light effectively, thus everycorner of the handpiece is sterilizes by the ultraviolet rays emittedfrom the ultraviolet lamp 60 and reflected, and the irradiation amountof ultraviolet rays can be increased as well.

In addition, a ventilating fan P may be desirably installed at one sideof the casing assembly of the handpiece sterilizer explained in theabove first and second embodiments to exhaust the heat generated by theultraviolet lamp.

A drawer 90 is installed around the ventilating fan to put in aromas 92,emitting fragrance, which has the effect of aroma therapy, outside thesterilizer, thereby a patient may have mental stability.

If the handpiece sterilizer is configured more including a file tray 30which has multiple file holes 15 at one side of the casing assembly,which is opened and closed by a cover 16 and can be sterilized withdental files inserted therein, dental files also can be sterilizedconveniently using ultraviolet rays.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention relates a sterilizer for sterilizing dentalhandpieces and files promptly and perfectly. More specifically, theinvention relates a sterilizer for handpieces, which provides an effectof aroma therapy and prevents ultraviolet rays, harmful to the humanbody, from leaking outside the sterilizer.

While the present invention has been described with reference to theparticular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by theembodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciatedthat those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodimentswithout departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

1-7. (canceled)
 8. A sterilizer for dental handpieces comprising: acasing assembly having an opening formed at the front side for coming inand going out of a handpiece; a door configured such that an ultravioletbarrier incised in a radial shape opens and closes the front opening ofthe casing assembly; a transparent tube installed inside the casingassembly in order to be fluid-communicatively connected with the door toput a handpiece thereon; a sensor installed on the brim of the openingat the front side of the casing assembly; an ultraviolet lamp installedinside the casing assembly; a control circuit for controlling theoverall operation of the sterilizer in such a manner that it opens theultraviolet barrier when it confirms the approach of the handpiece bythe sensor, closes the ultraviolet barrier after the handpiece has beenentered, turns on the ultraviolet lamp for a predetermined time, turnsoff the lamp, opens the ultraviolet barrier again, and closes theultraviolet barrier after the handpiece has been withdrawn; and a motorfor opening and closing the door in response to a control signalgenerated from the control circuit.
 9. The sterilizer for dentalhandpieces according to claim 8, wherein the control circuit furthercomprises a function of calculating the entering speed or thickness of ahandpiece by the signal entering from the sensor and controlling theopening speed of the door according to the calculated value.
 10. Thesterilizer for dental handpieces according to claim 9, wherein areflection protector for preventing the leakage of ultraviolet rays isinstalled inside the casing assembly, in which the transparent tube andthe ultraviolet lamp are inserted.
 11. The sterilizer for dentalhandpieces according to claim 9, further comprising a ventilating fanprovided at one side of the casing assembly, for exhausting the heatgenerated by ultraviolet lamps.
 12. The sterilizer for dental handpiecesaccording to claim 9, further comprising a file tray having multiplefile holes provided at one side of the casing assembly, the file traybeing opened and closed by a cover and being sterilized with dentalfiles inserted therein.
 13. The sterilizer for dental handpiecesaccording to claim 9, further comprising an aromatic tray near theventilating fan, wherein the aroma tray is received in a drawer fashionand contains aromas inside.
 14. The sterilizer for dental handpiecesaccording to claim 8, wherein a reflection protector for preventing theleakage of ultraviolet rays is installed inside the casing assembly, inwhich the transparent tube and the ultraviolet lamp are inserted. 15.The sterilizer for dental handpieces according to claim 8, furthercomprising a ventilating fan provided at one side of the casingassembly, for exhausting the heat generated by ultraviolet lamps. 16.The sterilizer for dental handpieces according to claim 8, furthercomprising a file tray having multiple file holes provided at one sideof the casing assembly, the file tray being opened and closed by a coverand being sterilized with dental files inserted therein.
 17. Thesterilizer for dental handpieces according to claim 8, furthercomprising an aromatic tray near the ventilating fan, wherein the aromatray is received in a drawer fashion and contains aromas inside.
 18. Asterilizer for dental handpieces comprising: a casing assembly having anopening formed at the front side for coming in and going out of thehandpiece; a door configured such that the ultraviolet barrier incisedin a radial shape opens and closes the front opening of the casingassembly, and the ultraviolet barrier is opened while waiting and aftercompletion of sterilization, and the ultraviolet barrier is closed whilesterilizing; a transparent tube installed inside the casing assembly inorder to be fluid-communicatively connected with the door to put ahandpiece thereon; a sensor installed around the transparent tube insidethe casing assembly; an ultraviolet lamp installed inside the casingassembly; a control circuit controlling the overall operation of thesterilizer in such a manner that it closes the ultraviolet barrier whenthe entrance of the handpiece has been confirmed by the sensor, turns onthe ultraviolet lamp for a pre-determined time and turns off the lamp,and opens the ultraviolet barrier again; and a motor for opening andclosing the door in response to a control signal generated from thecontrol circuit.
 19. The sterilizer for dental handpieces according toclaim 18, wherein a reflection protector for preventing the leakage ofultraviolet rays is installed inside the casing assembly, in which thetransparent tube and the ultraviolet lamp are inserted.
 20. Thesterilizer for dental handpieces according to claim 18, furthercomprising a ventilating fan provided at one side of the casingassembly, for exhausting the heat generated by ultraviolet lamps. 21.The sterilizer for dental handpieces according to claim 18, furthercomprising a file tray having multiple file holes provided at one sideof the casing assembly, the file tray being opened and closed by a coverand being sterilized with dental files inserted therein.
 22. Thesterilizer for dental handpieces according to claim 18, furthercomprising an aromatic tray near the ventilating fan, wherein the aromatray is received in a drawer fashion and contains aromas inside.